Inclusive Startup Fund

Project Description

Inclusive Startup Fund

In early 2016, an expert Advisory Committee named Portland-based Elevate Capital as the management team for the newly created Inclusive Startup Fund.

The Elevate Capital team includes Managing Director Nitin Rai, Robin Jones Maloney (Venture Advisor) and Eric Boothe (Venture Associate). Collectively, the team has more than 30 years of professional experience and has led investments in dozens of startups.

The fund provides early-stage investment capital and mentoring to local high-growth companies founded by underrepresented groups across a variety of industries. Prosper Portland and Multnomah County each contributed $500,000 and Oregon Governor Kate Brown and Business Oregon committed $250,000 to launch the fund in 2015.

In August 2016, Elevate Capital announced that it has completed the first close of its $3 million Elevate Inclusive Fund and $10 million Elevate Capital Fund and has made investments in its first cohort of six women and minority entrepreneur-led startups.